Ebonyi: How PDP Is Sinking Deeper In Crisis

FELIX UKA 

The People’s Democratic party (PDP), Ebonyi State branch is in deep crisissnowballing from the events of its 2023 congresses, primaries and the general elections. 

After the elections, PDP Ebonyi branch which is supposed to be the key opposition political party, checkmating the victorious All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State rather crashed due to diverse, conflicting interests. Also because of buried animosity, aftermath of the elections and the money politics of joining when the money is flowing and fleeing as soon as the flow dries up. 

A number of them who enjoyed donations /dollar gifts from the party stalwarts who ran the gubernatorial elections in the persons of multi-billionaire Ifeanyichukwu Odii popularly known as Anichuks and his rival then, Senator Obinna Ogba have jumped ‘the gun’, now suspected to be doing cover jobs for APC, just like  “political monitoring spirit” that flies both day and night, in and out of variety of political party associated meetings.

The structures of the party continued to witness depletion as its prominent members started leaving the party for APC shortly after Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru took over as the 4th executive Governor of the State.

Prominent was the defection of Senator Sylvanus Nguji Ngele, a former member of the National Working Committee of the PDP.  He left with Hon. Sylvester Ogbaga former member of House of Representatives for Abakaliki/Izzi Federal Constituency and in2023, a governorship aspirant. Some executive members of the party also decamped with them. That was at a ceremony that took place at Abakaliki Local Government Area headquarters, Nkaliki.

Their excuse was that the PDP had been hijacked by some individuals such that the party was no longer able to provide the needed platform to actualise their political ambitions. The duo, chiefs from the Izzi clan, explained that their major honest reason for dumping the PDP was because the party had not been able to produce a Governor from the Izzi clan, which the APC was able to achieve in line with the existing Charter of Equity inEbonyi State. They also noted that the present administration led by Hon. Francis Nwifuru, anchored on the People’s Charter of Needs is in line with the demands of the Nigerian situation, hence they want to support the APC to bring more dividends of democracy to the people of Ebonyi State.

While the party was yet to recover from that, former Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim in a crowded ceremony, at Pa Ngele Oruta Stadium, Abakaliki announced his defection from the PDP to the APC. Anyim, who also was Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) defected with many chieftains of the PDPand other opposition parties in the State.

Before then, an astute PDP gubernatorial aspirant in the 2023 general elections, Senator Obinna Ogba and that of the Labour Party, Chief Edward Nkwegu had left their various political parties and joined the APC.

Also, some former members of the National and State Assembly as well as former Local Government Area Chairmen among others, all from the opposition defected to the APC.

Anyim, in his remarks on the occasion of his joining the APC said that Ebonyi State had always been a one political party family and that the massive defection of opposition members to the party, attested to such fact. He said that his intention to join the APC had been hatched for a long time.

Nursing the wounds, the PDP governorship candidate in the elections, Dr. Ifeanyi Odii, in his reaction to the sudden fading of his party explained that the party remained intact amid the defections of members in the State. He said the leadership of the party in the State was poised to take advantage of the development. Odii said that those who left the party were driven by personal survival needs.  “In the last few months, there have been a series of defections from one party to another across various political parties in many States inNigeria, Ebonyi State inclusive. The defections in some cases are a direct aftermath of the contentious 2023 general elections which shook Nigeria to its core through the various loopholes and manipulations caused by combined forces of anti-democratic elements and power mongers who tried to usurp the power of the people. In some others, it is strictly driven by personal survival needs. “In Ebonyi State where our great party, the People’s Democratic Party, has firmly been established for over 20 years, the gale of defections also reared its head.

Borrowing from Kenyan author, Ngugi wa Thiongo, one could say to Anyichuks, “Weep Not Child”.

Of course, there can always be a second chance in politics. “Inthe game of politics, timing is of great essence, calculations and permutations are highly needed”, a number of political observers said in their reactions to the Ifeanyi Odii’s outcry.

Latest in the saga shaking the weak and sick PDP in Ebonyi State is that Federal High Court sitting inAbakaliki, Ebonyi State just recently awarded N100, 000, 000 (one hundred million) damages against the embattled National Vice Chairman of the PDP,  Southeast Zone, Chief Ali Odefa, who hails from Ebonyi State.

Twenty members of PDP, including Executives of the party in Oguduokwor Ward in Onicha Local Government Area of the State, Ali’s own people had approached the court in Suit No: FHC/AI/CS/FHR/197 between: Hon. Herbert Onyedikachi, Hon Anoke, Egbe, Njoku Nwagu, Moses Idika, Ogbonnaya Idika, Obinna Chukwu, Chief John Igboke, Mrs. Ijeoma Nome, Okorie C. Okorie and nine others as Applicants and Odefa, the Commissioner of Police Ebonyi State and the Inspector General of Police for the enforcement of their fundamental human rights over allegations against them by Odefa.

Odefa was said to have accused them of forging documents purporting his suspension as the National Vice Chairman of PDP, South East

Ruling on the suit, the presiding Judge, Justice Hilary I. O. Oshomah held that Odefa had “maliciously” used the police against the defendants by making criminal accusations against the applicants ina civil political matter.

The court held that Odefa who had alleged in his statement to the police that the defendants forged documents to suspend him as a member of the PDP in Oguduokwor Ward failed to show proof of any form of forgery in the court to support his claims.

The court, therefore, issued an order restraining Odefa and the police from harassing, arresting or in any form intimidating the defendants on the issue of his suspension from the PDP, Oguduokwor Ward.

It awarded damages inthe sum of N5, 000, 000 (five million naira) to each of the 20 defendants totaling N100, 000,000 (one hundred million).

The court further ordered that the cost must be paid within seven (7) days of the judgement, failure to pay, according to the court, will attract 10% daily interest.

At the ruling, the OC Legal of the Nigeria Police, Ebonyi State Command, Benson Emenike was in the court to represent the Commissioner of Police, while Odefa’s counsel was absent despite receiving earlier sitting notice from the court.

When contacted on phone to react to the situation in the party, Odefa merely asked how much the interview could do, and requested to be called back in 30 minutes, yet, could not pick the next calls.

Whatever, PDP inEbonyi State is sick and requires good political re-engineering, else, Ebonyi might become APC State which is not the best for everyone nor good for true democracy.